Darker than Black: Wide Awake
by Cannun
Summary: Mackenzie and Benjamin Lenaur have been running for most of their lives. Their constant movement has now taken them to the gates of Tokyo where they will meet a few familiar characters. Following the tale of two twins on their mission to find their father and uncover the truth about their painful past as it may be the key to saving the future.


Note: Hey! Thanks so much for taking the time to read this! It really means a lot. This story takes place around the time after episode 8 (The ones with Havoc) but it doesn't follow the events in the anime after that point because I'm adding my characters into it.

Just as a caution: You probably want to watch at least the first season of the series before reading this. I'll probably have some spoilers and I don't want to explain everything they do in the anime. Also, there's a few swear words in this and a bit of gore that may be disturbing. You have been warned...

Anyway... I hope you enjoy this story. Please leave reviews. I would love to hear your thoughts of the story, also please tell me if there's a part I could improve or if there are any typos! Thanks! x3

* * *

A steam boat's loud horn rang among the softly drifting waves that batted the massive ship. The sun crept quietly over the blue horizon, sending rays of light across the sky. Seagulls called in the distance and I could taste salt in the air. Cool morning mist brushed my face, making me shiver slightly. I paused to take in a deep breath, closing my eyes and wondering about the day to come.

I turned to my right, leaning on the cold and rusty metal of the ship's railing. Two dark, chocolate brown eyes stared back at me. They reflected my sense of calm. It was rare for us to see a relaxing sunrise, without the constant fear that always lingered in the back of our heads.

The eyes I stared into blinked in understanding. He looked down and forced a smile that said "you know this won't last". I nodded solemnly as he brushed dark bangs out of his eyes.

Together we turned back to the hush of waves and the sun, savoring these moments of serenity. Although the waves and the whistle of the ship were deafening, everything felt silent for just a few moments. I laughed sarcastically and my brother turned to look at me in alarm.

I shook my head and sighed, "You know, they say we can't feel. They say that we're just rational beings with no emotion. They say we are incapable. If that's true, then why am I so... scared?"

His eyes softened, "I don't know Micky... But I'm scared too..." We were quiet gain for a few painful seconds, they he clenched his teeth, "Do you think he'll be there?"

I thought for a second and growled sarcastically " He'd better be," I laughed, but deep down I was praying to whatever Gods still existed in this damned world that he was. I knew Benjamin felt the same.

"It's been 7 years since we've seen him last," He added quietly.

"Yeah, seven years since he stuck _the Organization_ on us like a pack of dogs! I don't know about you, but the next time I see our old man, I'm gonna give him what's coming!" I could hardly control the rage that bubbled from my lips. I then laughed at my overreaction, "See, contractors definitely have feelings..." I grumbled and looked back out to sea.

Benjamin joined I'm my laughter, "Or maybe it's just us. The contractors that _I've_ met have seemed pretty unemotional."

"That's cause they're all trying to kill us!" I reasoned in amusement.

"Yes but what about April and November and the other agents we've worked with. Sure they laugh and stuff, but I've never seen them express any real emotions..." I pondered this quietly, and after a time of silence Ben poked my forehead to get me to talk.

"Fine, maybe my statement is flawed, but I don't think we're entirely unable to feel!" I hated being wrong, but I knew Benjamin wouldn't stop pestering me until I admitted being incorrect. He was always good at sensing my thoughts.

We were quiet again for a good while, just watching the steel of our ship cut through the deep blue waves below. I studied the way that the boat sent the waves away from it's hull as it passed with dangerous speed. White, foamy bubbles rose with the tumbling waves. Suddenly, my brother cut my concentration.

"Mackenzie, Is that..." Ben's voice trailed off and I peered over his shoulder in the direction he was pointing. The familiar figure of land and the thought of getting off this boat trilled me.

I answered his question with joy in my voice, "Japan."

* * *

Onshore, we made our way to a local fish market. The writing above the shack was scrawled in careful Japanese characters. Even though the penmanship was neat, the fact that it was written on an old board that was probably once someone's fence sort of took away from the feeling.

"Kuroi Sakana," I read to my brother with a smile.

"Black fish, huh," he looked at me with a shrug, "sounds like the right place." Our mother had taught us Japanese, her first language. I took the time to learn to read it, because language always intrigued me and came naturally. Ben was not quite as enthusiastic as I.

We entered the tiny, cramped market with caution, peering around at the bustling people. There was hardly enough room to breathe. The building resembled a long hallway. On either side of us people shouted prices and bargains, hoping to catch the attention of a buyer.

I scurried to the end of the hallway with Ben close on my tail. Crowds bothered me, something about the inability to escape easily. Once we were at the end, I was already breathing hard, and not just because we were running. At the end of the hall there sat a single, silent store. The window where a person might sit to sell their items was just filled with empty, black space. On the counter there sat a good luck cat- maneki neko. It's big green eyes stared back at me, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Did you see that?" Ben asked, uncertainty in his voice.

"See what?" I asked.

"It looked like its arm was moving..." He trailed off and looked back at the cat.

"I didn't see anything..." I started towards the grinning cat, "I think it's broken or something, cause it's definitely not moving."

"I swear I saw it!" Ben defended. I gave him a half-believing glance and leaned over the counter.

"Hello?" My voice rang around the empty room, "Hmm, no one home. What do they sell anyway? There's nothing in there." I turned to my brother who was still staring at the motionless cat.

"May I help you?" A voice crept down my neck and I spun around quickly, knees bent into a stance and hand up in a defensive guard.

The boy that peered up at us smiled with a goofy grin. His shaggy black hair was all over the place. There was a scar across his left cheek and his skin was a pale, peachy yellow. I could easily tower over him, but there was something about him that sort of made me feel uneasy. The way he held his hands behind his back and grinned gave him a polite appearance, but there was something in his dark black eyes. It felt like a sort of malevolence, but I'm not sure if that's the right word…

Ben got over his surprise quicker than I did, "Hello," He smiled, "are you… Sato?" He questioned carefully.

"That's me," The boy chimed, "I've been expecting you." He brought forth one of his hands from behind his back for a handshake. We both stared for a second, but Ben recovered and took it. I was still stunned as I watched the boy's hand bob in my brother's. It was covered in shiny, pinkish scars that made the hand look mangled and beaten.

Sato looked up at me then at his hand and back at me with a smile, "Come inside the shop, I have some important information for you two."

* * *

Inside the shop, the sounds of the market seemed muffled. The small room was old, but cozy. The three of us sat in a circle. Sato sat on his knees, Ben sat criss-crossed, and I sat with my legs out straight. We each exchanged glances periodically, as Sato began to speak.

"This is my father's shop. We're not open today… or much any time. It's more of like a hideout in plain sight, ya'know." The boy continued to grin like a maniac. It was starting to really creep me out.

"When you do, what do you sell?" My eyes darted around the room, taking in every detail from the dust and cobwebs in the corner, to the murky light hanging from the ceiling.

"Depends," Sato replied, "We used to sell home baked buns, Chinese style, but when my mom passed away… we sort of fell out of that business. When my dad, um… got his powers and joined the Syndicate, I joined as a messenger so I could keep my memories from being taken away." The boy looked sort of sad, and I wanted desperately to feel bad for him, but deep down… I felt nothing.

"I'm sorry," was all I could think to say. I'm not even sure if it sounded sincere. If it didn't, Sato didn't really take notice, he was already moving on.

"Anyway, I might as well tell you what I came here for." He paused and looked each of us in the eye, "Your target is Akira Yoshida. He's a former commander from Heaven's War. He will be meeting with a few men tonight at the abandoned docks on the other side of town. Your objective is to eliminate him and any other men associated with him."

"May I ask why he's on the Syndicate's black list?" I questioned absently.

Sato shook his head with that same grin, "Nope, it's classified."

"Course it is," I mumbled and turned to my brother, "Well then, let's get to it." I stood and stretched. "See ya Pipsqueak. Oh, one more thing, should we report our progress to you, or will the Syndicate be watching."

The boy simply stared back with his ominous grin, "They'll be watching."

I gave a nervous laugh and scurried out the door with Ben close behind. Once back in the market I took a deep breath of air and choked a little on the scent of smoke.

"That boy was really creepy…" I murmured as we headed back through the crowded pathway. Ben shrugged and I rolled my eyes, "How could you not think it was weird?"

"Cause it wasn't really," Ben said indifferently. I shook my head and brushed off the thoughts.

"What do you say about doing a little recon around those old abandoned docks?" I asked.

"No problem, are you going to check out the station?" He motioned to a pair of tracks that curled up the mountains in the distance, most likely leading inland. I nodded.

"Meet you at the docks at dusk then?"

Ben turned in silent agreement and headed in the direction of the docks. I sighed and went the opposite direction, toward the train station.

* * *

The station was small, no bigger than a single room. There were few people in the building though, so I don't think it needed to be much larger. I stared at a map of train routs, carefully deciphering the text. I could translate most of the words, but just cause I could read it didn't mean my map-understanding skills had gotten any better from the last time I tried to go somewhere. Grumbling in frustration, I headed to a wooden desk where an attendant sat, giggling with a man that leaned over the counter.

"*Excuse me?*" I asked in Japanese. The woman looked up swiftly and motioned for the man to go away. He obeyed reluctantly and shot me a glare as he headed for a bench on the other side of the room. I ignored him and set the map down on the desk.

"*How may I help you?*" The woman asked me politely, stealing a glance at the man who was now leaning on the bench impatiently.

"Um…" I searched for the correct words, "*what's the best route to take if I want to get to Tokyo?*" I queered and pointed at the map. She smiled and took out a pen, explaining the stops and trains I should take while she traced the correct track and wrote a few notes. I thanked her and glanced out the window to see where the sun sat. It was swiftly approaching the hills in the distance, which signaled the coming of dusk.

I headed for the door and folded up the map carelessly. In the corner of my eye I could see the man cross the room once again, a grin on his face. The woman giggled hysterically and I scoffed, leaving the room silently save the ding of the bell on the door.

* * *

Two men walked cautiously onto the old, rickety dock where another man, dressed in a nice suit, stood in wait. The approaching men were wearing suits as well, one a dark grey and the other a deep black. The man who awaited their arrival glanced at his watch then picked up a briefcase, stepping forward slowly to meet his guests.

"Snipe or storm?" I whispered and glanced at my brother. He still held up his binoculars, staring at the exchange taking place below. We watched from a perch at the top of a small hill overlooking the docks. "Hello? Hey don't ignore me!" I hissed. He waved a dismissing hand at me and continued to observe our targets. "What's so interesting anyway?"

"Shhh…" Ben said simply. I turned away, annoyed, and picked up my own binoculars again. The men were exchanging words, then the two motioned behind them, beckoning our gazes to where they had gestured. Seemingly out of the shadows, multiple figures approached. There was maybe three or four, and I noticed that they seemed to be surrounded by a faint blue haze.

"Aww come on!" I growled under my breath, "Only a few people? Hell, that's a whole army if they're contractors!"

"Which one do you think is Yoshida?" Ben asked in an expressionless voice.

"I don't know, maybe one of the guys that's got the army! Did you not notice that our job just got ten times more difficult?" I tried my best to keep my angry voice quiet. Ben shook his head slowly, almost sadly.

"It's nothing compared to what we've handled before…" He breathed simply.

I was quiet for a second, pondering what he'd said, "Yeah… I guess…"

"I say you snipe, I'll storm. When they notice you, get down here and help me." I nodded in agreement of his plan. "Ready?" I stared back into the binoculars with squinted eyes. The single man was retreating, obviously trying to talk his way out of trouble. "Go."

Ben shot out from our cover with incredible silence and stealth. I felt my heart pump into action as I watched my hands begin to glow a faint blue, with a smile I thought up the most badass sniper rifle I could imagine, the M200 Intervention. In an instant the exact item appeared in my hands. Peering though the scope, I caught one of the two men in the cross hairs. I took a second to analyze the trajectory in consideration to the wind. In that second all I could hear was the hiss of my breath and the pound of my heart.

_Bang!_ I sent a bullet straight through the man's skull. The bullet exited the other side of his head, pulling a gush of blood with it. I watched him crumple to the ground as his partner stared at him, mortified.

As the man collapsed in a growing pool of blood, his contractors swiveled around, searching for their hidden assailant. Out of nowhere, a blast of flames engulfed one of their bodies. I could hear the screams from my perch. The other three contractors now turned to their new foe, forgetting completely about the sniper on the hill. I laughed and reloaded the cartridge with ease. I took aim again, this time at the other baffled, well dressed man.

I aimed for his chest this time and hit the small target with perfect accuracy. Through the scope I could see his terrified expression as the bullet tore through his body with no was a dreadful sight, but somehow I was unaffected by the horror of it.

Grinning, I dropped the gun and jumped off the side of the hill, sliding with effortless control until I reached the bottom where I immediately came to a sprint. This time I materialized a sword, a katana, like the one I'd seen in a museum back in America. I launched myself toward the contractors, who seemed startled to see another attacker.

I lunged for the nearest target. He recovered from his surprise quickly enough to spare himself from a fatal blow, but I still caught one of his arms with my blade. Stumbling back, he cradled his wounded arm as blood gushed through his fingers. He resumed the blue glow that signaled the use of his powers as he hissed in pain.

With glowing red eyes, the contractor charged me. He let go of his bleeding arm and reached out his red stained hand. A purplish orb formed in his palm and he pulled back his arm, hurling the ball at my legs. I anticipated this move though, dodging it with a well aimed back-flip. I landed in a kneeling position, staring at the ground where the orb landed. The grass and dirt that had been impacted now sizzled and burned away, leaving a small hole in the ground.

"Acid huh," I remarked. The man was clutching his wounded arm again and I shook my head, "you're gonna have to do a lot better than that!" I yelled at him. He clenched his teeth at the challenge and set loose two more orbs. I dodged both with ease. "Oh please, that's all you got?" I egged him on, making a mental note of the fact he understood English.

The man growled in frustration and, over his shoulder, I caught a glimpse of Ben sending one of his foes into the sea with a crushing blast of wind.

My enemy launched another set of orbs, this time a lot more. I weaved in and out of the droplets, barely dodging a few of them.

"That's more like it!" I called to him, a hint of sarcasm in my voice, "but I'm afraid it's still not enough." With a disapproving shake of my head I launched myself toward him, katana in hand. I crosses the space between us in a second's time, running straight past him and toward the remaining two contractors.

A screech rang out behind me, but I didn't need to turn to know the scene. I had hit the man in the side of the neck. It kept his body in one piece, but was still as effective as cutting off his head. It just took a little longer for him to die.

Without pause, I continued to where Ben held off our two remaining enemies. One had a tall, stalky figure with dirty black hair and emotionless eyes. The other was a bit shorter, but he appeared fit. He owned a head of thick brown hair and a twisted grin.

Ben launched boulders at them, but they were nimble, and dodged. They countered with their own powers. The tall one threw glowing green darts that exploded on impact. The shorter one seemed to contract inhuman strength, splitting Ben's boulders with nothing more than a steel punch.

I leaped for the shorter one, using my momentum to back up my attack. He noticed me at the last second and rose his arm to shield his head. The katana came down hard on his forearm. I had used enough force to cut straight through a normal man's arm, but this contractor was not normal, nor was he truly man. My sword was stuck in his arm, but it barely pierced his skin. Abandoning my weapon, I jumped away before he could counter.

Through my peripheral vision I could see Ben overwhelming his attacker with fierce blow after blow. He used every element with consecutive fluidity. His enemy stumbled around in confusion as he was struck with a blast of wind then swept off his feet by a whip of ocean water. This was followed by the crushing weight of a boulder on his chest. The man struggled desperately under the jagged stone as Ben approached with an almost arrogant walk.

I turned back to my opponent. I knew just what I wanted to finish the job. As I began to think up every detail I could recall of my next weapon, Ben placed a palm to the contractor's forehead. The now defenseless man was pleading for his life, trying to make a deal with my brother, but Ben would not hear it. He clenched his fingers around the man's face, summoning a blast of scalding flames that lit up the dark night for a few seconds, then died out, taking the man's life as it departed.

By now, the remaining contractor was seeing less and less of a reason to stay and fight. He knew that the only rational decision to make would be to run. I saw him begin to inch away slowly, before turning into a mad dash. I looked Ben in the eye, and he got the message. He sent a ball of flame to the ground directly in front of the escaping man. When he turned around to confront us one last time, he came face to face with the barrel of my hand pistol. I pressed it against his forehead with cold reserve.

"Our orders were to kill all associates. I guess this just isn't your lucky day," My voice had no emotion, and at that moment-when I pulled the trigger- I realized that I felt absolutely nothing. My heart was just a dark, shallow pit that allowed me to kill without remorse. It was sickening.

I left the man crumpled in the dirt and turned to walk along the abandoned dock. The man with the briefcase was still there, huddling in fear. He had witnessed the entire scene. As I approached, I could see that he was shaking. He held up the briefcase as if it could protect him.

"Take it! Take it all!" He cried helplessly, "Please don't kill me! Please, I'll do anything! Just-" I pointed the gun at his terrified face and pulled the trigger. I didn't even flinch when his splattered blood dripped down my cheek. I kicked the briefcase into the water and walked off toward the hill without a single word.

* * *

"And you say we have emotion..." Ben's voice was tired. I didn't turn to look at him. I didn't even acknowledge his presence. I had reached the top of the hill where my rifle still sat. I kicked it over and used my power once again to make it disappear and keep it out of the wrong hands.

"It's started," Ben said simply and sat down on the grassy hillside. I turned and stared at him for a second before I took a seat next to him and looked up at the stars. Four of them were gone because of us.

"Bad?" I asked Ben in concern. He nodded and tucked his knees to his chest, closing his eyes and plugging his ears with his palms. I put an arm around him because it was all I could think to do.

All contractors have a payment and we are no different. Ben's is the most terrible I have seen. For a time, he is connected with the spirits of the dead. They could be real souls, or maybe they're just parts of his imagination. Either way, the few minutes they're present, Ben goes through hell. We have too many ghosts in our past and too much loss. It's not fair that he has to listen to the whispers of what could have been, and see the memories of what we could have had.

I was silent as Ben rocked and shook his head. The night air was full of the chirps of insects. I felt an incredible nagging in the pit of my stomach, but I pushed it away. My payment would have to wait until I saw my brother through to the end of his torture.

"Kiana..." Ben whispered and then I felt it. I actually felt something. It was such a terrible pain that it seemed to weigh my chest down. It pulled on my heart with such force that I felt ready to collapse. It hurt so much, but at the same time, it was nice to feel the pain. It was better than feeling nothing at all.

"Kiana." I repeated and clutched my hand in a fist. I shook my head to try to thwart the memories, but it was too late. I saw her, little Kiana, twirling in the rays of a spring sun. She laughed a beautiful laugh, a laugh that made my heart throb. I saw her telling me stories, singing us songs, I saw her in my mother's arms, and I saw her waddling along behind me like a young duckling. I saw her sleeping in her cloud of innocence, and crying over simple things, I saw the fear in her eyes on that terrible day so long ago, and I saw her lying on the floor-broken in a pool of blood as the darkness closed around us. I cringed with a whimper.

Ben looked me in the eyes now. For that moment we were both connected. We both felt the same horrifying pain- the pain of losing our little sister. His eyes seemed old and wise, and his face seemed to droop. I wrapped my arms around him and did what no one would ever expect of a cold, heartless being like a contractor; I embraced him and cried.

I don't remember how long we stayed like that. Him patting me on the back as I sobbed and sobbed, but when it was over I didn't even feel embarrassed like I would have. I felt empty inside and the nagging was back. I stood and walked a few feet away from my brother.

"What's it this time?" Ben asked me in a somewhat concerned voice. I stared up at the bright stars and sighed.

"A strange one," I called to him as I leaned over to scoop up a few stones. They felt cool in my palm, their strong, earthy feel was sort of comforting. I laughed at the stupidity of this payment, and threw the stones toward the bright stars. They rained back down on me, but I didn't flinch as they batted my head and my shoulders.

"That was a strange one," Ben said and walked over to me. I could see the hint of a grin on his face.

"I've had stranger," I replied and wiped the dirt on my hands off on my jeans. That was the beauty of my contract. I could materialize anything I could think of, just as long as I know how it works, then as payment I get to perform a random act. Like a roll of the dice, my payment can be different every time. More often than not it is the payment of whomever I just killed.

In simpler terms, if I read a book about guns, then I know how the guns in the book look and how they function. Let's say the next day I go to assassinate someone. I can use any of those guns I'd read about, cause I know how they work. I could try to create something from my own thoughts, but since I'm not one to really think things through, they normally look great but don't do squat. If I were to assassinate a contractor with the payment of smoking, then most likely my payment that time would be smoking. If I don't kill anyone-or kill a human- then my payment is just a random draw of the cards.

I drew the handgun that I'd placed in my pocket and examined it. It shone in the starlight with an almost eerie glow. A smiled curled my lips, "You know I was gonna destroy it, but I think I'll keep it for a bit." I was about to put the weapon back in my pocket when the silvery metal glowed with the dim blue of a doll specter.

"They said they'd be watching," Ben offered when I didn't speak.

"I know, but I didn't think they'd have a doll with a metal medium…" I replied quietly, "That's a really helpful one. There's metal everywhere…" The specter disappeared like a ghost and I shoved the gun in back in my pocket.

"Uh… did you get the train route?" Ben asked to change the subject. I nodded and pushed my overworked thoughts to the back of my brain. My head was already spinning as it pieced things together and thought up questions.

"Yeah, let's find a place to sleep and catch the next train out of here." I turned in the direction of the town.

Ben looked down at the mangled bodies below. They looked twisted and beaten under the stars' burning gaze. The blood that pooled around them seemed to creep along the cold ground. He looked to me, "The sooner we leave, the better."

* * *

I stared out the glass stained with fingerprints at the passing vegetation. The car rumbled as it passed over tracks. I looked to my right at Ben who breathed softly as his closed eyes fluttered in the world of dreams. There were few people around us, but their presence was hardly known as no one said a word. I checked my surroundings for any suspicious characters, but nothing caught my eye. I returned my gaze to the window. In the distance I could see rising buildings and a giant wall that almost blended with the sky. I shook my brother softly and he shot up swiftly, instantly looking up at me with concern.

"Almost there," I said to him as he blinked in the light that shone through the window. Ben squinted and smiled as he processed the image before him.

"Tokyo," He whispered.


End file.
